I recently read a Instagram post from the International Bipolar Foundation about the actor David Harbour, who plays Jim Hopper on the hit TV show, “Stranger Things.” Harbour has bipolar disorder and the post quotes him as saying, “The new model of understanding mental health disorders. and treating people without stigma is beautiful. and liberating, I’m touched and grateful that we are beginning to have the conversation without stigma.”
This made me feel great. I sat back and I thought about it and I realized there has been a significant change since my first manic episode in 1995. Back then, I was terrified that people would find out I had bipolar disorder and not want to associate with me. There was even one incident where I wanted to discontinue a relationship with someone and rather than talking about how I felt I took the cowards way out and I just told her I had bipolar disorder and I never saw her again. Also, when I went to the hospital if the staff noticed I had bipolar disorder they would treat me poorly but that has not happened to me in a really long time.
I was nervous the first time I posted a link to my blog on Facebook. I remember holding my thumb over the post icon for awhile before I pressed down and announced to the world that I have bipolar disorder. I was overwhelmed by the amount of support I received from family and friends. I also have a podcast, The Bipolar Disorder Moment, where I talk openly about having bipolar disorder and my job as a peer support worker requires that I talk about my journey with having a mental illness. I am seeking publication for a memoir I have written, Brain Betrayal: A Bipolar Disorder Story. I have been invited to speak at oil companies to talk about my story for funding purposes and to increase awareness. When I do the speeches, often the managers and staff talk about their struggles with their mental health. Personally, I haven’t noticed a lot of news or entertainment media that creates the impression that everyone who has a mental illness is dangerous.
All of this made me feel pretty positive and optimistic. Then, I went out for dinner with my friends who have bipolar disorder. They had a different perspective. One of my friends is a teacher and she said an aspect of teaching that is a challenge is that parents are constantly complaining about how their children are being treated and educated. She feels that if parents were to find out she has bipolar disorder the complaints. would intensify and happen more often.
My other friend, who is an associate professor at a university, talked about how students often try to contest their marks and if they knew she had bipolar disorder this situation would become much worse. She feels that if you are in a position of authority, it will always be an issue.
Finally, the last person said that he does not disclose he has bipolar disorder in social situations because it has led to issues in the past. All of them did not agree that in the media people who have mental illness are presented in a positive light. They feel that people who suffer from psychosis are often portrayed as villains.
After having dinner with my friends, I was feeling a little sad that stigma is still an issue that is a significant challenge for people who have mental illnesses. I believe that things have gotten way better but the truth is likely somewhere in between. I do not recommend disclosing that you have a mental illness to employers unless you are confident they will be supportive. I have had bad experiences when I was a social worker, and I have noticed that helping professions seem to have the biggest issue in supporting employees who struggle with their mental health. I am grateful that I have not had to deal with stigma in a long time and, to me, it has improved considerably since 1995.
Allan
P.S. I think it would be helpful for all of us to get a better understanding of the state of mental health stigma in our society. If you feel comfortable sharing your experiences and opinions, please leave a comment below.
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